Abuja karate pupils upgrade their belts

Donald Budokai Karate Academy, DBKA, in association with the FCT Karate Association has up graded 60 pupils into different new levels from White Belt and has charged them to ensure they dedicate more time to their trainings.

The grading exercise comes up quarterly to give the pupils ample time to prepare for the belt level they are attempting which is from white to yellow, orange green, purple, blue and brown.

DBKA coordinator, Mr Macdonald Osagie, who spoke to journalists at the March grading exercise, called on parents to support their children who have found interest in the art, stating that martial arts encourages self-discipline and socialization skills in children.

“Today, children with different potentials in the areas of age time practicing, previous experience, physical conditions and potential attitudes towards others during practice are measured to compare each participants progress and improvements and this is done by applying questions from the Karate syllabus.

“We have taken them through a rigorous yet easy method of learning the art, assisting them to work on their weakness and improve on their skills, also ensuring that they learn the art as the testing area will be on kihons (basics), katas (forms), kumite( sparing)” he said.

FCT Karate State coach Shihan Dave Jegede led the grading team as the chief examiner at the event also present were other Shihans and Senseis like Sado Jefferey, Sadiq, Ibrahim, Keno.

According to Jegede, the martial art has suffered low publicity and inadequate proper training kits, he, however, commended the schools present for the proper conduct of their pupils and urged their parents to support the growth of the art in the FCT.